4 Apr 2009

Call for taxpayer to help fund super-city transition

8:08 am on 4 April 2009

Six councils in the Auckland region have told the Government the taxpayer, not ratepayers, should pick up funding gaps in a transition to a super-city.

The Government is expected to reveal its preferences for the structure on Monday, after the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance was released last week.

A coalition of West Auckland community groups says it's appalled it hasn't had a chance to express its views on the supercity proposal before the government responds.

The coalition of groups, led by Community Waitakere, is calling on the Government to consult with them before making its final decision.

It says the Commission is suggesting a huge overhaul and seems to be rushing to respond, but it should give Aucklanders time to digest the information and respond.

And a senior Auckland politician is warning the rest of the country it should be wary of the power the Auckland region would wield if it becomes a supercity.

The deputy mayor of North Shore City, Julia Parfitt, says it's not just Aucklanders who should be concerned.

She says, if adopted, the supercity could rival central government in terms of power.